Battle Report

Last chance for Leipzig

50 POINTS

West German
Oberst Hunts VS Warsaw Pact
Rich

Dust up battle for Leipzig included my West German Marder infantry attacking against a T-72 Company.

The 142nd PzrGrenKO was poised to push forward in the attack as directed on a cool September morning. There was still mist on the ground which made the battlefield seem almost surreal. As it was, the Marders were uploaded and began a road march forward to find and engage the enemy. If only they had supporting armor units to help in case they ran into enemy T-72 tanks. Command said that the Luftwaffe would support the attacking lead elements with Tornados, but that was never a sure thing and our Jaguars are not designed for mobile attack. So, the infantry company rolled forward with no armor support and hopes that the Luftwaffe would come to the rescue if required. Too much hope some would say, and as we all know, hope is not a method for planning. On to Leipzig...

DEPLOYMENT

I decided to put two Marder Infantry platoons, My Jaguars, and roll for my Air support for my half on the table. Our forces were spread out to protect the objective as well as cover the possibility of the enemy getting early reserves and attacking our flank.

The defending elements of the enemy forward detachment included one tank and one AA missile platoon in lose defensive positions.

TURN ONE

My dug in infantry was able to fire their Milans and strike the enemy tanks eliminating one of their numbers.

My infantry fired their Milan missiles at the enemy tanks and destroyed one of them covering the advance of my Marders to the enemy left Flank. This was a diversion to allow my other Marder element to push around the right flank and go for the enemies AA assets.

My second Marder unit dashed around the left side to threaten and attack against the enemy AA next turn.

The enemy responded by shifting his tanks platoon north to attack the Marder transport tem and his commander shifted south to cut off the advance of my Marders against his AA.

My two bold pushes with the Marders resulted in the loss of two Marders, one from each team and poised me to attack his AA platoon and hopefully strike his tank pllatoon with and air strike, hopefully.

TURN TWO

My Marder team was in position and openned up on the enemy AA platoon, wiping them out with main gun fire. This should open the way for the Luftwaffe to clear the field of some tanks.

It was time. The Luftwaffe came in like gang busters and killed another tank from the platoon. Now it is at half strength. Our hope was to eliminate this tanks platoon before reinforcements could arrive as well as threaten the objective as soon as possible to throw off the enemies plan.

TURN THREE

West German infantry Milans again try to destroy WP tanks but fail to hit their targets. Our southern Marder team withdraws to save additional lives as they have accomplished their mission. We are holding in position while still awaiting additional forces that would allow us to push on with the attack. Much hope has been placed on the Luftwaffe eliminating enemy tanks as we have none.

Unfortunately, the enemy gets another T-72 platoon that arrives to our east and pushes toward our holding area and opens fire against our Jaguar platoon. We lose one Jaguar and the enemy tanks hold in place without advancing.

TURN FOUR

We finally get some additional forces to help out. Our Gepard platoon came in and advanced toward the enemy's HQ area to seize the key terrain.

As all had hoped, the Luftwaffe showed up and wiped out the enemy's reinforcing tank platoon. This was better than we could have hoped for. Three dead T-72s.

The enemy sees our reserves coming in and moving toward their objective and decides to shift forces to block the way to victory. Fortunately for us the fire on our forces is wild and we survive without any loses.

TURN SIX

Alas, it was bound to happen sooner or later. The Luftwaffe was somewhere else and could not support our attack.

It was time to push forward and go for victory. The Gepards go on the attack with only one bogging in the woods. Guns blazing the Gepards rip open a T-72 reducing the platoon to one remaining tank. It could have been much worse.

The enemy again gets reinforcements and their final platoon arrives on our flank and moves rapidly to engage our advancing Gepards. Fortunately their fire was not able to hit their targets and we survive again.

TURN SEVEN

We are fortunate to get additional forces so we send our two recce units dashing for the objective. With only one Tank to defend we are assured of getting at least one platoon through the defensive belt.

Once again the Luftwaffe comes in to save the day and pounds the enemy resulting in two additional dead T-72s. Too bad they were so motivated that they wanted to stay for more.

Our Gepards continue to attack in spite of enemy fire and manage to destroy another enemy T-72 tank. At this point the enemy has one operational tank and his HQ tank left but passes morale to continue the fight.

The enemy is hoping something will change and maneuvers to at least contest the objective should my forces break through.

TURN EIGHT

And has come to be expected, the Luftwaffe comes in to kill another T-72 but the fighting Gepards have already killed the target T-72 as well as the enemy HQ tank. The field is ours with almost no loses due to bad dice for the Warsaw Pact and great dice for our side. Game over and the charge to Leipzig continues.